Lock switch



May 14, 19291 H. E. NoRvnEL 'H7l3,142

LOCK SWITCH Filed June 15, 1927 .MALL

Patented 'May 14, 1.929.

UNITED sTATEs PATENT oFFlcE.

HARRY E. NORVIL, OF ANDERSON, INDIANA, ASSIGNOR TO DELCO-RE'MY CORPORA- TION, OF DAYTON, OHIO, A CORPORATION O F DELAWARE.

LOCK SWITCH.

Application led June 13,

This invention relates to electric switches and particularly to a switch adapted for use in connection with ignition apparatus disclosed in the copending-application of J. L. Arthur, Serial No. 198,682 filed June 13, 1927. The Arthur ignition apparatus comprises an ignition coil having two primary windings which are connected by a suitable switch either in parallel with a storage battery or other current source or in series therewith. This apparatus can be used advantageously in the electrical system of an automobilein which a storage battery, charged by a generator driven by the automobile engine, is used to supplycurrent during the cranking of the engine to the ignition apparatus, and generally tothe starting apparatus where an electric starter is used. In cases where the bat- .tery is partlydischarged or the starting apparatus considerably drains the battery, thus reducing its voltage substantially below norriial, sufficient ignition coil energy can be obtained for ignition purposes while cranking if the ignition primary windings are connected in parallel with the battery in order to reduce the total resistance of the ignition primary circuit. Where ignition current is supplied by a generator at normal voltage during the running of the engine, the primary windings should be connected in series in or-l der to increase the resistance ofthe primary circuit and prevent an abnormal How of current through the ignition coil while the engine is runningL Therefore the switch which controls the ignition circuit has in addition to the off position, a start position in which the lprimary windings are connected in parallel,

- a handle for turning the movable contact of the switch; and to provide a switch in which a spring is employed for moving the switch operating member from its start to run7 position automatically when the key or switch handle is released. This feature provides for automatically reducing the current .in the primary circuit of the ignition system 1927. Serial No. 198,331.

in case the operator should fail to turn the switch to run position after the engine becomes self-operative.

Further objects and advantages of the present invention will be apparent from the following description, referencebeing had to the accompanying drawings, wherein a preferred embodiment of one form of the present invention is clearly shown.

In the drawings:

Fig. 1 is a front View of a switch and coil assembly unit embodying the present inven- Fig. 2 is a longitudinal sectional view ther of on the line 2 2 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary sectional view on the line 3-3 ofl Fig. 1. l v

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary view on the line 4 4 of Fig. 2.

Figs. 5, 6 and 7 are wiring diagrams illustrating the use of the present invention.

The ignition apparatus with which the present switch is particularly adapted to be used, will iirst be described with reference to Figs. 5, 6 and 7. The ignition coil has two primary windings 2() and 21 which are inductively related to Ia secondary winding 22. Winding 20 is connected by wire 23 with a switch contact 24 and by wire 25 with a terminal 26 which is connected with an ignition timer 27 grounded at 28. The winding 20 is also connected by wire 29 with a switch contact 30. The winding 21 is connected by a wire 31 with a switch contact'32 and by a wire 33 with a contact 34, and also by wire 35 with a terminal B5 to which one end of the secondary l22 is connected. Terminal 36 is connected with a battery 37 grounded at 38. TheV other end of the secondary 22 is connected with an ignition distributor 39.

rllhe switch includesmovable arcuate contacts 40 and 41 which are represented by dot and dash lines in Figs. 5, 6 and 7. When the cont-acts 40 and 41 are in the position shown in Fig. 5, the ignition circuit will be interrupted, the switch being in the ofi position. When the contacts 40 and 4l are turned in the position shown in Fig. 6, known as the start position oi the switch Y or the position 0ccupied by it during the cranking of the engine, the primary windings 20 and 21 will be connected in parallel with thebattery. The arrows 42 in Fig. 6 designate the direction of current flow so that these parallel circuits may be clearly apparent. After the engine has become self-operative, the ignition switch may be turned to on position 1n order to move the contacts 40 and 41 into the position shown in Fig. 7. Then the switch connects the primary windings 20 and 21 in series with the battery to increase the resista-nce of the primary circuit and to reduce the current therein to normal value. The series connection of the windings 20 and 21 is clearly indicated by the arrows 43 in Fig. 7. It will be noted that the connections are so-made that the coils 20 and 21 also act cumulatively regardless of how they are connected with the battery.

As shown structurally in Fig. 2, the coils 20, 21 and 22 surround a core 50, the ends of which are supported within recesses provided by non-conducting bodies 51 and 52 located centrally within a metal case 53. The body 52 is embedded in insulating compound 54 within the case 53, this compound having been poured while molten into the case before an end cover 55 of insulating material is insei-ted within the case 53. The member 52 includes a cable-receiving sleeve/56 which eX- tends centrally through a metal end cover 57 having its flange 58 formed over the flange 59 of the case 53. The body 52 insulatingly supports the terminals 26 and 36. The sleeve 56 is provided with a metal lining 60 electrically connected by a pin 61 with the core 50 upon which the inside turn of the secondary 22 is grounded by the lead 62. The sleeve 60 is connected with the distributor 39. Numeral 63 designates insulating compound which is poured while molten into the case 53 before the cover 57 and body 52 are assembled therewith. i

The external magnetic circuit of the coil is provided by several turns of sheet iron 65 insulated by several turns of paper 66. This material is wrapped around the assembly of windings and core before this assembly is placed inthe case 53.

The switch for controlling the circuits of l \the ignition coil is housed within a case pro mental contacts 40 and 41.

vided by the case cover 55 which forms the base of the switch and a tubular extension 53L of the case. The base 55 is vsecured to the case by s inning into the case two annular grooves 6 toform on the inside of the case two annular ridges 68 between which the base 55 is confined. The front wall of the switch is provided by the frame member 70 which is retained by the case V53 by bending a flange thereof at 71 against a shoulder 72 rovided by the frame 70. In this way the rame 70 is clamped against a spacing tube 73 located between the frame and the switch base 55.`

The frame 70 supports a key shaft 74 to which is attached by screws 75 a non-conducting contact. carrier 6 which supports the seg- The stationary contacts 24, 32, 30 and 34 are secured to the base 55 by hollow rivets 24, 32, 3() and 34,

tact carrier in a clockwise direction as viewed in Figs. 1, 5, 6 and 7 and resists movement of the carrier in a counterclockwise direction from the run7 position into the off position or the start position. The plate 81 is provided with an arcuate notch 82 which receives a lug provided by the bearing boss 7 7 in order to limit movement of the contact carrier in either direction. The plate 81 is provided with a hole 84 which is received by a portion of a ball 85 guided by a recess 86 in the boss 79 and urged by a spring 87 against the plate 81.

The key shaft 74 carries a number of lock` ing bars 90 which when the key 91 is,not in the lock will move into one of the longitudinal grooves 92 provided in the wall of the bearing boss 77. The ends of the locking bars 90 are adjacent the grooves 92 only in the off position of the key shaft 74. Therefore when the key 91 is removed, the shaft will be retained in olf position by the bars 90 against a torsion of the spring 78. Before starting the engine, the keyv 91 is inserted in the key shift and the key is turned into start position and is manually held there. After the engine becomes self-operative and supplies operation will be accomplished by the spring 78. In the run and start positions of the lock the key cannot be removed. Before the switch can be turned off the keymust be grasped by the hand of the operator and turned in olf position. The switch will not remain in off position if the key is released in off position without being removed from the lock, since the spring 78 will return the key to the run position. Therefore the operator must pull the key from the lock after it has been moved to olf position. This requires at least a partial withdrawal o f the key from the lock in order to retain the switch in off position.

Quite naturally the driverV` will remember to remove the key entirely if damaged by an excessive iow of current if the operator should forget to turn the key from start7 to run position; and secondly the switch requires a manipulation which is helpful in reminding the operator that the key should be removed from the lock when the ignition is turned oil'.

IVhile the form of embodiment of the presentinvention as herein disclosed, constitutes a preferred form, it is to be understood that other forms lnight be adopted, all coming within the scope of the claims which follow.

What is claimed is as follows:

1. Ignition apparatus comprising, a coil having two primary windings, a switch having an foi' position of its operating member in which posit-ion the windings are disconnected, a sta-rt position in which the windings are connected in parallel and a run position in whichthe windings are connected in series, means for locking the switch operating member in the off position only, and a spring for moving the operating member from the start to the run position.

2. Ignition apparatus comprising, a coil having two primary windings, a switch includ-ing movable contacts having an off p0- sition in which the windings are disconnected, a start position in which the windings are connected in parallel, and a run position in which the windings are connected in series, a removable operating handle for moving said contacts, a spring for moving the cont-acts from, start to run position, and means providing for removal of the handle from the switch onl in the olf position thereof and for locking the switch movable contacts in this position by the removal of the handle.

3. A switch including movable contacts for turning oil" an ignition circuit and having a start position in which the ignition circuit is arranged for providing ignition during engine cranking. andhaving a run position in which the ignition circuit is -rearranged for engine running, a key controlled member for moving the movable contacts of the switch from off to start or run positions,I a spring for moving the member from st-art to run position when the operator releases the key in start position, and means providing for removalvof the key only in the off position of said member and for locking said member in off position by removal of the key. n

4. A switch according to claim 3 in which the off position of the key controlled member is between the start and run positions so that the key must be moved to olf position and moved out from the member in order to retain the member in o position.

5. A switch including movable contacts for turning off an ignition circuit and having Sa start position in which the ignition circuit is arranged for providing ignition during engine cranking, and having a run position in which the ignition circuit is rearranged for engine running, a removable handle for the switch, a spring resisting movement of the movable contacts. of the switch from run to foif position, and means for holding the switch contacts in oi position when the handle is removed.

6. An electric switch havingt a member movable between off and on positions, a handle attacha-ble to and detachable from the movable member only in the` olf position, means locking the switch member in the olf position when the handle is removed, and a spring resisting movement of the switch member into olf position Whereby the switch member will not remain in olf position unless the handle is removed.

7. An electric switch having a member movable between off and on positions,

an operating key attachable to and detachable from the movable member only in the off position, means co-operatin with the key for locking the switch mem er in the 0H position when the key is removed, and a spring resisting movement of the switch member in olf position whereby the switch member will not remain in olf position unless the key is removed.

In testimony whereof I hereto affix my signature. y

HARRY E. NORVIEL. 

